Rethinking the Round

These courses are above par, and
in this case, that’s a good thing.

In Missouri, golf courses have taken on a new shape: along cliffsides, through limestone caves, and across shallow streams. Traditionally, a good round of golf is measured by the scorecard, but at courses like Cliffhangers in Hollister, the beauty of the course sticks with visitors as much as their final score.

THE CREATION OF CLIFFHANGERS
This 18-hole golf course opened July 4, 2025, and was the brainchild of Johnny Morris, owner of Bass Pro Shops, and his son, John Paul Morris. Prior to its opening, Johnny had already opened five courses at Big Cedar Lodge: Top of the Rock, Buffalo Ridge, Ozarks National, Mountain Top, and Payne’s Valley (a course designed by the world-renowned golfer Tiger Woods). These courses were created with a clear philosophy: to maintain a high, professional standard of golf while showcasing Missouri’s natural scenery.

Cliffhangers was originally intended to be a driving range. However, when Johnny and John Paul went to scope out the landscape, they discovered towering bluffs, exposed rock, and low-lying valleys, which were perfect for creating a beautiful yet challenging course topography. The father-son duo quickly realized they had struck gold, says Matt McQueary, director of golf sales and marketing at Big Cedar Lodge. The pair knew that this stretch of beautiful landscape was meant to be transformed into something sensational. “As Johnny got into the weeds, he decided to say, ‘Well, to heck with the driving range. … This is going to be a par 3 course.’

Soon, dynamite was brought in to create deep valleys and bunkers and to expose additional limestone. With an expert team, irrigation was installed across the course to keep its rivers and waterfalls flowing all season long and to maintain the course’s green bent grass. “There’s a natural spring on-site that they fed into this waterfall system, so there’s a running creek and a running waterfall that goes through [the course],” Matt says.

Cliffhangers allows players to trade long-distance tee off shots, which are more typical to play on a traditional golf course, for precision shots over shorter distances that span obstacles like creeks, water features, and sand pits. No hole spans more than 170 yards. Golfers trade simplistic grassy plains for towering cliffsides and winding caves. Here, the setting carries as much excitement as the scorecard.

A ROUND AT CLIFFHANGERS
Arriving at Cliffhangers, golfers quickly realize they are not playing a typical round of golf. Rather than teeing off with a driver, as is common for a first hole, the course begins with a putter-only hole: a downslope par 3 that’s more about ball speed than distance.

The originality of the course continues on from here with a cart path that leads through a shallow stream and over a water- fall to what is widely known as the most memorable hole of the course: the Lion’s Den. “You actually drive into the cave, park your golf cart, walk down a corridor, and then hit through an opening framed by a waterfall,” Matt explains.

After golfers tee off from within an Ozark cave, launching their golf ball through a waterfall toward a downhill green, they continue on to other challenges, such as hole 6, Bunkers, which is surrounded by a giant sand bunker that players must avoid. Then there is hole 8, Falls, a risky hole that pushes players to swing with accuracy, as a large waterfall behind the green leads to a pool of water. While the course is packed with par 3 challenges, no hole is alike, and the views keep the game fresh and exciting. “The views are incredible, but it’s also a fun challenge,” Matt notes. “It’s a mix of easier and more challenging holes, which keeps it interesting for all skill levels.”

Toward the end of the course, golfers play the iconic hole 14, Peninsula, which has a 360-degree view of the bunkers and water that players will need to navigate. After hole 14, visitors can stop at The Crow’s Nest, a comfort station where golfers can take a short break and grab complimentary refreshments.

At hole 15, The Crossing, the flag sits hundreds of yards below a severe slope, and the course starts to wind down at holes 16 and 17, which require shorter-distance shots focused on precision. For the last hurrah, players travel down a long paved cart path to reveal hole 18, Intimidator, a 76-yard hole that hugs a limestone cliff and is surrounded by water.

While the stunning course has come to an end, the adventure isn’t over. The golf cart ride back to the clubhouse is an experience all on its own, giving golfers one last look at the course’s scenic views. Before going home, golfers will drive along the edge of limestone rocks, across bridges, and through a cave.

• 1250 Golf Club Drive, Hollister • BigCedar.com/golf

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This article was originally printed in the June 2026 issue of Missouri Life.